Accordion type pump rod seal



Feb. 20, 1968 J. L. R. HINES ACCORDION TYPE PUMP ROD SEAL Filed Oct 5, 1965 James L. R. H/hes INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,369,411 ACCORDION TYPE PUMP ROD SEAL James L. R. Hines, 826 Rivercrest, Abilene, Tex.

Filed Oct. 5, 1965, Ser. No. 493,010 4 Claims. (Cl. 74--'18.2)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE inner end and abuttingly engaged with the remote surfaces I of the endmost greater dimensioned sections of the bellows member.

This invention relates to a novel and useful accordion type pump rod seal and more specifically to a pump rod seal adapted to be utilized for forming a fluid-tight seal between a reciprocal pump rod and a pumping T through which the pump rod is reciprocal.

The pump rod seal of the instant invention serves the same function as the flexible accordion-type seal disclosed in US. Patent No. 958,862, dated May 24, 1910, but comprises an improvement thereover in that its construction inherently results in a pump rod seal able to withstand greater pumping pressures and having a considerably longer working life.

Accordion-type seals utilized between two relatively movable members have of course been utilized in the past. However, most such seals are utilized as dust seals and the like and are not designed specifically to provide a fluidtight seal capable of withstanding relatively high pumping pressures. There have of course been accordion-type seals utilized as fluid seals on well pumps but most of these have been constructed in a manner resulting in the inability to withstand relatively great pumping pressures and a relatively short working life span.

The accordion-type pump rod seal of the instant invention comprises an elongated longitudinally compressible bellows member including alternate greater and lesser transverse dimensioned longitudinally spaced sections and the opposite end portions of the elongated bellows member include opposite terminal and neck portions adapted to be secured in fluid-tight sealing engagement with a reciprocal pump rod and the pumping T through which the rod is reciprocal. The preceding description of the seal of the instant invention is of course substantially con ventional. However, the seal of the instant invention further includes backing means abuttingly engaged with the remote surfaces of the endmost greater dimensioned sections of the bellows member. In this manner, the endmost greater dimensioned sections of the bellows member are reinforced in a manner enabling the bellows member to withstand considerably greater pumping pressures than those which would be possible if the endmost greater dimensioned sections of the bellows member were not backed. Each of the backing means comprises an annular rigid member generally dish-shaped in configuration and opening toward the remote end of the bellows member. By using dish-shaped annular backing members that are constructed of relatively rigid material, the remote surfaces of the endmost greater dimensioned sections of the bellows member are embracingly and seatingly disposed within the backing members thereby assuring that the 3,369,411 Patented Feb. 20, 1968 endmost portions of the bellows member will not be caused to be ruptured or excessively deformed by high pumping pressures.

The main object of this invention is to provide an accordion-type pump rod seal adapted to form a fluid-tight seal between a reciprocal pump rod and the pumping T through which the rod is reciprocal and without the use of a conventional stuffing fitting.

Still another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide an accordion-type pump rod seal including means for securing one end thereof in fluid-tight scaled engagement with the associated well pumping T as a replacement for a conventional stuffing fitting for that pumping T.

Yet anothed object of this invention is to provide a pump rod seal in accordance with the preceding object and including means for establishing communication between the interior of the bellows member of the accordion-type seal and the interior of the associated pumping T.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide an accordion-type pump rod seal in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long-lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational View of the upper end of a pumping well shown with the accordion-type pump rod seal of the instant invention operatively connected between the reciprocal pump rod of the well and the pumping T secured to the top of the well casing, the accordiontype seal being illustrated in a collapsed or foreshortened position;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing through the center of the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 1 and shown with the accordion-type seal in an extended position; and

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken sub stantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a pumping well to whose top a pumping T generally referred to by the reference numeral 12 is secured. A polished pump rod 14 is reciprocal through the pumping T 12 and it may be seen that the upper end of the latter terminates in an internally threaded neck portion 16.

The pump rod seal of the instant invention is generally referred to by the reference numeral 18 and is of the accordion-type including alternate greater and lesser transverse dimensioned longitudinally spaced sections 20 and 22. The sections 20 and 22 form the center portion of an elongated longitudinally compressible bellows member 24 constructed of any suitable resilient material. The terminal end portions of the bellows member 24 are defined by upper and lower externally threaded neck portions 26 and 28 each defining a smooth bore 30 extending axially therethrough. The bores 30 are aligned and the rod 14 passes through each of the bores 30. In addition to the bore 30, the neck portion 28 includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced and axially extending vent bores 32 spaced generally radially outwardly of the corresponding bore 30. The externally threaded neck portion 26 is threadedly engaged in the internal threaded neck portion 16 of the pumping T 12 in fluid-tight sealed engagement therewith.

A cylindrical fitting 34 is provided and includes a bore 36 extending therethrough. The fitting 34 is disposed on a portion of the rod 14 disposed above the pumping T 12 with the rod 14 snugly received in the bore 36. A suit able transverse set-screw 38 is provided on the fitting 34 for securing the fitting 34 in position along the rod 14. The fitting 34 also includes an internally threaded counterbore 40 in which the externally threaded neck portion 26 is threadedly secured. Further, an O-ring seal 42 is disposed on the rod 14 between the shoulder 44 defined between the bore 36 and the counterbore 40 and the adjacent free end face of the neck portion 26. Threaded securement of the neck portion 26 within the counterbore 40 axially compresses the O-ring seal 42 and forms a fluidtight seal between the rod 14 and the neck portion 26.

Other than the aforementioned vent bores 32, the preceding description of the pump rod .seal 18 may be considered as conventional in its general application to a pumping seal and its corresponding reciprocal pump rod. However, the particular threaded connection between the neck portion 28 and the neck portion 16 and the provision of the fitting 34 and the threaded connection between the latter and the neck portion 26 are also to be considered improvements over previously known accordion-type seals.

In addition to the improved manner of mounting the pump rod seal 18 on the neck portion 16 and the upper end portion of the rod 14 being considered improvements, the pump rod seal 18 of the instant invention includes a pair of annular dish-shaped backing members 46 and 48 provided with threads 50 and 52, respectively, on their inner peripheral edges. The backing members 46 and 48 are threadedly secured on the externally threaded neck portions 26 and 28 between the fitting 34 and the adjacent endmost greater dimensioned section 20 and between the neck portion 16 and the greater dimensioned section 20 adjacent thereto. Accordingly, and as can be seen from FIGURE 2, the backing members 46 and 48 prevent excessive deflection of the endmost sections 20 away from each other and thus excessive flexing of corresponding portions of the bellows member 24. Further, the confronting surfaces 54 and 56 of the backing members 46 and 48 are of configurations conforming exactly to the confronting surfaces of the adjacent greater dimensioned sections 20 and are therefore disposed in surface to surface contacting relation with the remote surfaces of the endmost greater dimensioned sections 20.

The vent bores 32 of course provide means for venting the interior of the pumping T 12 to the interior of the bellows member 24 and vice versa whereby the pressures within the bellows member 24 and the pumping T 12 will remain substantially equal.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a well pumping T through which a polished pump rod is reciprocal, said T including an internally threaded neck portion through which said rod extends, an accordion-type pump rod seal for forming a fluid-tight seal betwen said rod and .said T, said seal comprising a one-piece elongated longitudinally compressible bellows member including alternate greater and lesser transverse dimensioned longitudinally spaced sections and a pair of opposite terminal end neck portions disposed adjacent the corresponding endmost greater dimensioned sections, said neck portions defining substantially axially aligned bores opening into the interior of said bellows member and through which said rod extends, one of said neck portions being secured to said rod for reciprocation and in fluid-tight sealed engagement therewith, the other end of .said neck portion being externally threaded and threadedly engaged in the internally threaded neck portion of said pumping T, annular backing members mounted on each of said neck portions abuttingly engaged with the remote surfaces of the endmost greater dimensioned sections of said bellows member, a sleeve telescoped and secured over the free end of said one neck portion and abutting the inner periphery of the side of the adjacent backing member remote from the corresponding greater dimensioned section, said sleeve including an annular end wall disposed outwardly of the outer end of said one neck portion and snugly receiving said rod therethrough, and means carried by said end wall anchoring said sleeve to said rod for reciprocation therewith.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said backing means embracingly engage said remote surfaces and are disposed in substantially full surface to surface engagement therewith.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said other neck portion includes passages extending generally axially theret-hrough communicating the interior of said bellows member with the interior of said pumping T, said passages being spaced circumferentially about said bore formed in said other neck portion and spaced radially outwardly from the last-mentioned bore.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said sleeve is internally threaded and threadedly engaged on said one neck portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 958,862 5/1910 Durham 74-18.2 1,870,904 8/1932 Giesler 92-34 3,019,663 2/1962 Breunich 7418.2

MILTON KAUFMAN, Primary Examiner. 

